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[Briareos]

All,

I hate to be a killjoy, but I am not so optimistic at this point. I don't currently have any problems, but I wanted to obtain answers to the following questions "just in case":

1. If my truck exhibits this cracking after 36000 miles will it be covered? The cracking seems to be an inherent defect.
2. If I take my FJ off-road and I have cracking, will Toyota stand behind this "flagship" off-road vehicle and repair crack damages?
3. What modifications to the vehicle could cause problems with warranty work on any possible cracking?

I presented these questions to my local dealership, along with a description of the problem others are having, and links to this site. My local dealer checked with his chain of command, and said I had to call Toyota National at 800-331-4331. I relayed the same concerns to them, along with the same three questions. In summary, here is the response I received:

1. It sounds like Toyota is guaranteed to perform repairs outside the warranty period only if they issue a recall (not TSB).
2. If I choose to off-road the vehicle while in the warranty period to intentionally surface any defects, I am gambling that the repairs will not be covered since I took the vehicle off-road, and it becomes the regional Technical Specialists decision on a case-by-case basis.
3. Third, Toyota can use the existence of any modification to deny service.

Overall, I am not happy in the least. If I had known this going in, I would have purchased a Jeep. They stand behind their off-road products. I didn't purchase my FJ because of its heritage. I purchased it for its supposed performance, which means the windshield, rattling doors, and poor visibility were compromises I willingly made to get said performance. Now it seems the so-called off-road performance is taboo if I expect to have toyota stand firmly behind their product. (I expect toyota will stand behind a few, but it will be "out of their good graces," which I don't trust). Right now, it feels like my FJ is a time-bomb, and cannot be used for what it was marketed to do, and my only hope is that this inherent cracking defect surfaces in my own vehicle while I am still under warranty.

The person I spoke with at Toyota National did go back to check her chain-of-command and aknowledged that Toyota was investigating the problem, and their initial position is that it is likely caused by aftermarket equipment.

Can you say "scapegoat"

I did open a case number just so toyota would be aware of customer concerns over this issue.

Thanks,
Shawn